Flexible circuit configurations are advantageous, inter alia, for use in applications in which the circuit configuration must have permanent flexible properties, in particular in the case of body implants or in objects which have at least limited flexibility in use, such as credit cards.
Flexible circuit configurations contain at least one insulating layer and at least one conductive layer, at least the conductive layer being structured in the surface. The terms insulating layer and conductive layer refer in this case and hereafter to the electrical properties of the layer materials. At least two structured conductive layers are frequently provided, which are spaced apart from one another by an insulating layer acting as a separation layer. The two conductive layers are typically conductively connected to one another in spots via through contacts through the separation layer, which is also structured in the surface for this purpose, so that a three-dimensional configuration of conductor structures arises. The structuring of the conductive layers and the insulating layers is typically performed by photolithography using various masks.
Terminal surfaces are implemented in the conductor structures in at least one structured conductive layer of the flexible circuit configuration to connect the flexible circuit configuration to a further circuit configuration containing conductor paths, components, etc., in particular to a circuit board.